The invites have been sent, the decorations are up and you have carefully hidden odd socks, old newspapers, your cat’s litter tray and anything else in your house that makes you look less than the sophisticated gentleman you wish to be. Now it’s down to the tricky business of planning the perfect party. Time to consult the experts. From chef Mr Yotam Ottolenghi to DJ Benji B, we contacted top names in the fields of food, wine, music and style for some advice on hosting the event of the year.

“As with all outfits, allow for some flexibility,” says stylist Mr William Gilchrist, whose clients have included Oliver Spencer, Alexander McQueen and The Rolling Stones. “I am no fan of these dark winter days, so I like to keep a lighter tone with my wardrobe (unless black tie is in order). You may be serving a roast, but avoid being trussed up like one. Consider that you need to be able to sit, stroll and dance without losing your dignity or your buttons. A good piece of velvet is a pleasure to wear and it opens up the colour spectrum in a rich and warm way. Try the look below, but above all, enjoy the occasion – and don’t forget your handkerchief.”

“I have a rule to make eye contact with every single person who enters our hotel,” says Mr Roman Proboziack, who has manned the door at Claridge’s for more than 30 years. “Day to day, I never know who’s coming or going. It could be regular guests whom I have met through the decades, celebrities here for a junket or royalty. Try to be familiar, but not invasive. The general rule for welcoming guests is eye contact. When I have guests at a party or dinner, I treat them how I treat Claridge’s guests. A warm, welcome smile goes a long way. Offer to relieve people of their coats and bags before offering them a drink. And I like to know my guests’ tipple of choice before they arrive.”

“Make a pre-bottled cocktail base (see below) that can be kept in an ice bucket alongside some decent, dry bubbles,” says Mr Ryan Chetiyawardana, better known as the award-winning bartender Mr Lyan. “Champagne dominates for good reason, but a traditional-method English sparkling, cava or crémant would also work well. Think warming spices and flavours that are evocative of the season. Just remember that wintry flavours can be dominating and that balance is key. It’s always important to have good non-alcoholic options. Keep a bottle of Seedlip or Everleaf to hand.”

• 100ml elderflower cordial
• 200ml sloe gin
• 300ml cognac
• 5ml chocolate bitters
• 100ml water Champagne
• Grapefruit
• Fennel

1. Pre-mix the elderflower cordial, sloe gin, cognac, chocolate bitters and water and keep well chilled.
2. Pour 35ml of the mixture into a chilled coupette with a single ice cube in it and top up with chilled champagne.
3. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit zest and a sliver of fennel.

“Whatever you do, don’t go too hard too early,” says BBC Radio 1 DJ Benji B. “Play some background music – something warm and soulful – when people are arriving, at a volume that allows them to chat. When you move into the dinner, take it down a couple of notches. Once people have loosened up a bit, you can move to what I call second and third-gear tunes. Play something universal or uplifting. It could be disco-y dance. Later, if it’s winding down, match the mood. Or if you want to wind it down yourself, try hands-in-the-air tunes with a finale feeling to them. You’re always going to end up with those 10 hardcore people who don’t want to go home, but if they have a good finale, they’ll gladly get their coats.”

Listen to the playlist here.

• “Sylvia” by Mr Arthur Verocai
• “The Line” by D’Angelo
• “Cómo Me Quieres” by Khruangbin
• “I Need A Forest Fire” by Mr James Blake
• “Biscuit Town” by King Krule

• “Kyenkyen Bi Adi Mawu” by Mr Alhaji K Frimpong
• “Dumebi” by Rema
• “Love Endeavor” (Mr Maurice Fulton mix) by Ms Alice Smith
• “Shades Of Jae” by Moodymann

• “I Wanna Be Your Lover” (DimiTri From Paris mix) by Prince
• “God Made Me Phunky” by Mr Mike Dunn
• “Seasons” by Lil Silva
• “Burn The Witch” by Lsdxoxo

• “Talkin’ Da Hardest” by Giggs
• “Welcome To The Party” by Pop Smoke ft Skepta
• “Original Nuttah” by Shy Fx
• “Toast” (Clipz remix) by Koffee

• “Crush On You” by Lil’ Kim
• “One More Chance” by The Notorious BIG
• “Lost Ones” by Ms Lauryn Hill
• “Be Happy” by Ms Mary J Blige

• “All This Love I’m Giving” by Ms Gwen McCrae
• “Never Too Much” by Mr Luther Vandross
• “Over And Over” by Sylvester
• “Stand On The Word” (Mr Larry Levan Mix) by Celestial Choir

• “All Night Long” by Mary Jane Girls
• “When I See You Smile” by Singing Sweet
• “Cranes In The Sky” by Solange
• “Angel” by Dwele

“Whenever I’m planning a big dinner party, I prep whatever I can beforehand so that I can spend the maximum amount of time with my guests,” says Mr Yotam Ottolenghi, the chef behind four eponymous restaurants, as well as Nopi and Rovi. “I like dinner parties to be colourful. The table should look relaxed and abundant. We have a range of bright table linens that we brought out last year, designed by artist Ivo Bisignano. Pick a great cut of meat – either roast lamb or chicken – marinate it the day before and then roast it for as long as you can on the day. A good roasted fish works, too, or cauliflower or celeriac if you’re going full veggie. I like to serve salads, vegetable sides and some sort of flatbread or focaccia. End the meal with seasonal fruit. Pears and quinces in a cake or tart work well served with some crème fraîche or ice cream.”

• 1 large cauliflower (approx 800g)
• 1 medium onion, roughly sliced
• 80ml olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 25g parsley, roughly chopped
• 10g mint, roughly chopped
• 10g tarragon, roughly chopped
• Seeds from half a pomegranate (80g)
• 40g pistachio kernels, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
2. Coarsely grate a third of the cauliflower and set aside in a bowl. Break the remaining cauliflower into florets, roughly 3cm wide, and put these in a separate bowl with the cauliflower leaves, if you have any, and onion.
3. Toss everything together with 2 tbsp oil and ¼ tsp salt, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray.
4. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
5. Once cool, put the roasted vegetables in a large bowl with 50ml oil, the grated cauliflower and the remaining ingredients, along with ¼ tsp salt. Toss gently, just to combine, then transfer to a platter and serve.

“I would keep it simple and go champagne all the way,” says award-winning food and wine writer Mr Dan Keeling. “It matches most things. I don’t mean Moët & Chandon. I used to think champagne was thin and acidic, but that’s an outmoded way of thinking about it. There’s an explosion of growers who have taken things forward. You have different grapes – pinot noir, which give a richer, broader style, or chardonnay for racier champagnes. The acidity cuts through the fat of whatever you’re eating. If you want to do red, beaujolais is a great wine to keep drinking because it’s got soft tannins. There are small-production growers working organically and some biodynamically. You don’t want to be glugging lots of chemicals, it gives you a headache. Serve the beaujolais at cellar temperature and the champagne cold in an ice bucket. And go for magnums. They signify hedonism and celebration.”

Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte Anne NV.    **Buy it here **

La Closerie Les Beguines Extra Brut Prevost.    Buy it here

Domaine Chapel Julienas Côte de Bessay.    Buy it here

Moulin-à-Vent Jules Desjourneys.    Buy it here

“At this point of the evening, ideally you will have a whole shipwreck of ancient spirits and recherché liqueurs to draw upon,” says Mr Richard Godwin, the author of The Sprits, a guide to making cocktails. “But as a crowd-pleasing centrepiece, I don’t think you can go wrong with brandy, say Clos Martin XO 15-year-old armagnac. Surround it with a few complementary liqueurs – green Chartreuse, Bénédictine, crème de menthe – and you and your guests can mix your own cocktails to taste. For a leaner, more avant-garde approach, I recommend Kamm & Sons Islay Cask, to my mind the finest of all new-wave spirits. Serve extremely cold and in good company.”